A Christmas Carol
by Ginger
Summary: The Scrooge Tale.... UC style....finished finally........HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! Please rr Any criticism and well any review is greatly appreciated!
1. A Christmas Carol

Title - A Christmas Carol  
Author - Ashley aka Ginger  
Rating - PG 13 I guess  
Disclaimer - I don't own any of the UC characters  
Summary - The Scrooge Tale UC style  
  
It was a cold, snowy day in Chicago, Illinois. Most of the city was in full swing, busy celebrating Christmas Eve. Children we're patiently awaiting the time when they could finally open stockings with their family. Dads were running to the store for last minute gifts they forgot to buy. And wives were running around their respected homes cooking meals, cleaning rooms, and still wrapping presents. Most stores were closed, with the exception of the few local liquor stores, some toy stores, and the always helpful Hallmark Stores. While most of the city was celebrating, one small group was busy working, much to the dismay of it's employees.   
  
The atmosphere inside the large warehouse was not what you would have expected for the day before Christmas. Four unhappy workers sat in a main room while an equally unhappy handsome man sat in a large office on an upper level. One woman sat on the top of a table, her long legs dangling over the side. Her hair framed her face perfectly accentuating deep eyes. She looked as if she was bored to death. Another woman was walking back and forth across the room. She filed her nails as her long dark hair swung around as she made each turn. A young man sat at a computer, clicking the mouse feverishly. His eyes glued to the screen in front of him. The second man, older and tougher looking than the first, sat at a table, writing slowly. Occasionally receiving glances from each of the other three.   
  
"I can't believe we are still here," Alex complained with another glance at Jake who was holding everyone up. She couldn't understand why Donovan wouldn't let the others go though. They had finished theirs way before.   
  
"Yeah, I should be home opening gifts or something," Cody added. "My Dad's going to be mad I'm late."  
  
"If you were home, Cody, you'd be doing the same thing you are here. Playing computer games," Monica joked.  
  
"Yeah, but I would have to open them first," Cody laughed.  
  
"You finish the paperwork and we all can get out of here," Donovan added, receiving glares from three of his four workers, as he slowly walked down the steps from his office. Only Jake had not glanced up, silently grateful for a little more company on Christmas Eve.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Scrooge," Cody muttered under his breath.  
  
"What was that, Cody?" Donovan asked, annoyed and knowing full well what he had said.   
  
"I said 'I need a snooze'" Cody tried, knowing he failed to hide his remark and returned to his computer screen.  
  
"Careful Cody, he's got a gun you know," Monica whispered when Frank turned around.  
  
What's the rush to do all this paper work? Alex wondered. She was done, so was Monica and Cody. They were only waiting on Jake.   
  
Could Jake get anymore selfish? Monica thought. Why doesn't he hurry up. We all want to go see our families.  
  
Though Cody had something else on his mind. I never realized how much Donovan is like the Grinch. I wonder why he doesn't like Christmas. It could be that his head wasn't screwed on quite right. It could be perhaps that his shiny shoes were too tight. But I think that the most likely reason of all May have been that his heart was two sizes too small, Cody thought trying his best to contain his laughter.   
  
"Done," Jake said emotionlessly as he handed his paperwork to Donovan. He hated paperwork more than anything in the world, especially after missions he really gets involved in. He almost wished he was still undercover for Christmas. At least then he wouldn't have to be alone. He knew the others were mad at him but he could handle it. The Priest at the church was visiting others this Christmas. Leaving Jake alone in a hotel down the street. Shaw would have given anything for company this Christmas especially but he was too proud to tell everyone he would be alone. He knew that they all had family to go to and he didn't want to intrude either. I don't need their charity, Jake said to himself as he walked out the door.  
  
  
*  
  
Frank Donovan entered his apartment wondering why his workers couldn't just finish their paperwork and not complain. Sometimes he wondered how such people ended up working for him. He stopped when his key would not enter the door as quickly as it usually does. He finally got it to work and he opened the door. A small rustling behind him caught him by surprise and Frank turned around quickly. Nothing was there. He turned back towards his apartment only to be greeted with a familiar face. The familiar face of his dead boss.  
  
"Hobbs?" Donovan asked in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, Frank it's me. Shut the door."   
  
Shocked, Donovan shut the door and turned to see the ghost of his fallen comrade. He was completely black and white and chains covered his entire body. Heavy chains.  
  
"Do you know why I'm here?"  
  
"What happened? What's the chains? Why are you here?" Donovan spat out an array of questions still trying to comprehend who was in front of him.  
  
"I'll take that as a no. I'm here to save you Frank. Save you from sharing the same fate as myself."  
  
"What do you mean?" Frank asked, still sitting in disbelief at what was in front of him.  
  
"Frank we are so much alike. I don't know how you don't see it. I'm ashamed of the life I lead. I was selfish and never cared about my team. And that's what brought about my demise. But not only mine. But others." his former partner, Hobbs explained.  
  
"Everyone else in our operation is still alive," Frank stated coldly and confused.  
  
"That is true. But I've ruined so many lives with my hurtfulness. I could have helped you, all of you. But I didn't. I chose to be a hard ass and lock myself away from you. It was wrong and there are things about my life I would like to change. But I can't. I must wear these chains for eternity. To make up for my coldness in life. I'm here to save you from my fate. Your doing to your team what I taught you a leader should be. But it's not."  
  
"There's nothing wrong with the way I handle my team," Frank shouted now getting angry. "Your not real. I refuse to listen to you. You know nothing about me. Nothing about what I have become."  
  
"Your me, Frank"  
  
"I'm not you! Your not real. I'm overtired. This is just my imagination playing tricks on me. Nothing more.   
  
"Your wrong Frank. And I'll prove it. You will be visited by three ghosts tonight. Heed their warnings Frank and maybe you can avoid my fate."  
  
With that the ghost of Jonathan Hobbs disappeared leaving a distressed Frank Donovan to ponder what he had actually just witnessed. 


	2. The Ghost of Christmas Past

I really am working too muc' Frank thought to himself as he rubbed his tied eyes. `There is no way I just saw what I think I saw.'   
  
"Ghosts aren't real. Right?" Frank asked himself, this time aloud. "Now I'm talking to myself! I really have to stop this. See what it's done to me?"  
  
Refusing to speak another word, whether to himself or anyone else that might drop by, Frank headed to the bed room. It would be another Christmas spent alone and he planned on sleeping through the day. Anything to forget exactly what day it was. He fell asleep rather quickly considering what he had imagined earlier in the evening. He awoke to a clock striking twelve in his living room. Usually he was awake at that time but he went to bed early the past evening and that's why it had awaken him. Donovan started to roll over but sat up suddenly when he saw a plump man sitting on his chair.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Frank yelled reaching for the gun in his nightstand but it was already removed.   
  
"There's no need to get hostile is there?" the round bellied man asked, taking a bite out of a chicken wing.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Frank asked not backing down and hoping what he had hoped was a dream, was just that.   
  
"I expected you wouldn't believe Hobbs. Well Frank Donovan. I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past. It's a pleasure to meet you," the ghost said, extending his hand but Donovan only stared at him.  
  
"This is not real!" Donovan shouted, and shook his head.  
  
The chubby man got up from Donovan's chair and walked over and grabbed his wrist. " hoped I wouldn't have to make this hard, but I guess I'm going to have to," he said slapping a cuff on Donovan's wrist and one on his own.  
  
"Wait. What's going on? What do you think your doing?" Frank asked trying to get the cuff off.  
  
"I have a job to do Mr. Donovan. You of all people should know that there are sometimes there are just no need for negotiations," the apparition replied, dragging Frank closer to the window.  
  
"This isn't real. This isn't real," Frank repeated over and over, attempting to soothe his troubled mind to no avail.  
  
The Ghost of Christmas Past dragged a struggling Donovan over to the window, which he waved a plump hand at. The window disappeared leaving an opening large enough for the two to fit through. They stepped through and began flying and the hole in the wall immediately closed itself back up. Donovan was screaming as soon as their feet left permanent ground and once he realized it was to no avail glanced around at the lights of the beautiful city around him. It was an amazing view and Donovan got caught up in the moment.  
  
"Where are we going anyway?" Frank asked, finally giving in to the ghost he was flying with.  
  
"So Mr. Donovan, finally agreed to come with me peacefully?" the ghost asked, ignoring the agents question.  
  
"Yes, but only because I figure I'll wake up sooner or later," Donovan replied not wanting to fully give in.  
  
"Well Frank my boy. What your going to see tonight is not only your past. But the past of others as well. You will come to realize that what good old Hobbs said is true."  
  
"Nothing he said is true," Donovan replied.  
  
"You'll see my boy you'll see. You know there is no need to be so rude to me. I've been around a lot longer than you have. I'm just doing my job," The Ghost of Christmas Past explained.  
  
"So this is your job? You do this all year round?" Frank questioned.  
  
"No. No one really gets visits from the Ghost of Christmas Past around Easter. I do other holidays too to keep busy. But Christmas is the most important one and my favorite."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"You'll see once you've been visited by all three ghosts. Then you will finally understand the meaning of all this."  
  
"I wish I could find out the meaning of all this now!" Frank yelled, but it did not phase his traveling companion.   
  
"Look we're here," the ghost commented bringing Donovan and himself slowly down to the ground. With a flick of a hand the handcuffs were gone and seemingly so was Donovan's anger.  
  
"Do you realize where we are Frank?"  
  
"Yes. This is where I went to high school. Cardinal Cross Academy."  
  
"Right Frank. And there's you. Walking over there by the fence. Where is everyone else?"  
  
The Ghost of Christmas Past and Frank glanced over towards the snow covered football field. A young Frank was walking along, running his hand along to the top of the fence. He was about seventeen years old and was obviously lost in his own thoughts. The world around was silent. The only sound that could be heard was Frank trudging through the couple inches of snow.  
  
"They all went home. It was only me and three others left," Frank spoke, his eyes glazed over, remembering.  
  
"Where was your brother Frank?" the ghost asked, urging Donovan to tell him more, even though he knew it all.  
  
"He left. The scum bag left me. All alone on Christmas. He went home with his girlfriend. I guess she was more important than family."  
  
"How did it make you feel Frank? Sad? Angry?"  
  
"I hated him for it," Frank replied solemnly. Hatred filling his deep eyes. Knowing that the agent could not take much longer of that particular scene and flicked his fingers and they were back in the city. Near a church to be specific. The church looked familiar but Frank couldn't picture where he had seen it before.  
  
"Where are we now?" Frank asked, curiously.  
  
"You don't recognize this place?"  
  
"No," Donovan replied plainly.  
  
"Look over. That little boy. Sitting outside, lonely and cold," The Ghost of Christmas Past added, pointing towards a young boy about five years old. He was sitting outside the church, his dark hair covered in snow. His brown eyes filled with tears.  
  
"That's not me. I don't understand. Why are we here?" Frank demanded, not liking being confused. Especially since he had been confused all night long so far.  
  
"That's Jake, Frank. While you were alone at school. He was alone on the streets. This was the night he was taken in by the priest at the church here. But he wouldn't go in himself. He waited outside all night long until someone found him in the morning."  
  
"He's lucky he didn't freeze to death," Frank said scolding. "Typical Jake, too stubborn to go in by himself."  
  
"Oh he wasn't too stubborn Frank. He was to scared. Do you know how he ended up here anyway?"  
  
"No."  
  
"He ran away from his last foster family. The father had beaten him so he ran away. He didn't know where to go. He was afraid to go inside because he didn't want to get in trouble."  
  
"So he stayed outside all night long?" Frank asked in disbelief. He knew Jake had grown up in foster homes but he hadn't know Jake had spent a Christmas like this. Maybe they were more alike than he had thought.  
  
"Yup. When the priest found him the next morning they had to rush him to the hospital. He had hypothermia. But other than that he finally found a home. He didn't have to spend anymore Christmas' alone until later in life."  
  
"What do you mean?" Frank demanded.  
  
"I'm sorry Frank I have to go now. My job is done."  
  
"You can't leave now. You haven't explained everything to me. I don't understand. You cant leave now!"  
  
But the Ghost of Christmas Past was already gone. 


	3. The Ghost of Christmas Present

Frank awoke back in his own room. Back in his own bed. He glanced to his right at the clock on his nightstand and it read 12:30. He had only been gone a half an hour. Though it felt like an eternity to him. Gone, he thought, I haven't gone anywhere.   
  
"It was just a dream," Frank said aloud excitedly. "It was just a dream! Thank God!"  
  
"What was just a dream, Mr. Donovan?" a young woman asked. She was standing near his largest dresser in a beautiful silver evening dress that sparkled in the incoming moonlight. The young woman looked like a heroin from some Disney movie. Her wavy blonde hair flowed down her back. And her blue eyes gleamed as they stared at the shocked federal agent in front of her. Her eyes showed kindness that made Frank feel kindness towards her. As opposed to the animosity which he had felt towards the first two apparitions that had visited him earlier on.   
  
"Not again," Frank mumbled laying back down in his comfy bed, placing his masculine hands over his eyes drowsy eyes.  
  
"Frank? Frank?" the young ghost asked nicely, taking a step towards him. When he had not answered her she spoke up, this time much louder and more demanding than she had the original times. "Please your not making this very easy!"  
  
"Will you please leave me alone?" Frank whined, without removing his hands from his head. His voice was drained, and he sounded very pathetic. Nothing like his normal voice, which demanded respect from everyone by anything he said in any tone.  
  
"Don't bet on it mister!" the young woman exclaimed, taking another step closer to Donovan. She placed her hands on her petite hips and struck out one foot, like a mother pretend scolding her young children. Though this ghost seemed intent on making sure he listened to her. "Your coming with me whether you like it or not!"  
  
She stormed over to Donovan and pried his hands off of his face. The ghost pulled him to his feet. She's stronger than she looks, Donovan thought as he stood up, knowing that any fighting was useless. He was not getting to sleep tonight there was no doubt about it.  
  
"I've dealt with worse men than you, Mr. Donovan!" she said, in her angelic voice that didn't make her seem menacing. But the look on her face told you otherwise. "Your coming with me!"  
  
With that she grabbed onto Donovan's right wrist, then she nodded her pretty head. With that they we're transported to a street. A fresh snow covered the ground and not many cars were driving around. Though a few people we're still walking around together.  
  
"Where are we now?" Frank asked, still annoyed.  
  
"Patience, my dear. Patience."  
  
The two walked slowly towards an old hotel. The hotel wasn't very well lit and there weren't many people inside the main lobby.   
  
"How many years ago is this?" Frank asked, agitated. He could not remember ever being at a hotel like this but maybe it was from someone else's past he could be witnessing again.  
  
"None. I'm the Ghost of Christmas Present, darling. This is now. Right now. We are on the other side of town from your apartment. We're going to go into that nice hotel now."  
  
They walked through the lobby, no one paying much attention to the two, despite the apparition being over dressed. They reached the elevator and the doors opened without anyone pressing a button. Frank walked along with her, knowing going against it was fruitless. He was just waiting for this awful dream to finally be over. They reached the tenth floor and the elevator doors opened. The odd couple stepped out the doors and Frank followed the spirit down the hall to the right.   
  
"Will you please tell me where we are going now?" Frank asked, hoping to get some kind of an answer.  
  
"Are you ready?" she asked, as she stopped outside room 1014.   
  
"You ghosts have a knack for not answering questions and changing the subject don't you? How about you give me a hint, as a sign of good will. Then I'll give you whatever you want."  
  
"Your negotiating skills are to no use with me young man," she added, even though Frank looked older than she did. "And I'll take that as a yes you are ready."  
  
She grabbed onto his wrist again and pulled him through the door. Amazed he had just walked through a door, Frank turned around startled staring at the door which he had just been staring at the other side a moment before.   
  
"Look," said the Ghost of Christmas Present, nodding her head towards the two beds.  
  
"Jake?" Frank asked sadly. He began walking towards the beds were Jake was sitting there. A glass in his hand, and a half empty bottle of whiskey on the table. "What are you doing Jake?"  
  
"He doesn't know your here, Frank," the young looking ghost said sadly, glancing at Jake. "We are here to witness. We can't change anything. At least things that are happening now."  
  
Jake got up and turned the television on. He staggered back to the bed and tripped, landing face first on the bed. He laid there a second before turning over and began flicking through channels. He came across USA and a rerun of "New York Undercover" was on. Jake watched it intently for a little while, while Frank and the Ghost of Christmas Present watched him with the same intentness. Neither wanting to miss a thing.  
  
"That's bullshit!" Jake screamed, attempting to get up but was so drunk he fell back on the bed. "It's never like that. Why can't my life be that easy once and a while?"  
  
Jake finally got on his feet and swayed a bit. He caught his balance and walked over to the chair in the corner and picked it up and through it. His anger was growing with each drunken step he took. He grabbed the bottle of whiskey and chugged it. Some of it spilling on his gray shirt.  
  
"Make him stop. He's going to do something stupid. We have to stop him. Please," Frank pleaded.  
  
"I'm sorry Frank. That's how things are. You want me to change it now? But you didn't care about Jake two hours ago," The Ghost of Christmas Present added. Her strength growing with each word she spoke. "I'm sorry Frank, you can't just care about people when you feel like it. Jake has always been like this. You know what his life is like. You didn't care before. You could have helped him from doing what he's doing now."  
  
"I was stupid. I didn't know," Frank added, glancing back at Jake.  
  
Jake was through with his drunken rage and was now huddled on the bed. 'New York Undercover' still playing on the television. He grabbed his glass and chugged the remainder. Anything to forget his life. He was mumbling now, once and a while he could be heard saying "Quito" or "Sonny". So he kept drinking, trying to get away from his demons.  
  
"Please help him," Frank asked again.   
  
"I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do," the young looking replied and slowly the room began to dim.  
  
"What's happening?" Frank asked, looking around.  
  
"I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do. The Past and Present remain, but the future can be changed Frank. The Future can be changed if you try," Frank heard the Ghost of Christmas Present say before she vanished from the space in front of him. 


	4. The Ghost of Christmas Future

Federal Agent Frank Donovan awoke the sound the a clock chiming one. The eerie silence that followed the loud chime sent shivers down Donovan's spine. Emotions swirled around in his mind. He didn't know what to believe. The thin line between dream and reality had become a blur and he didn't know which side he was on. Frank was too scared to even open his eyes. Yes, him, hardass Agent Frank Donovan was too afraid to open his eyes.  
  
Jake's drunken display kept playing over and over in his confused mind. It was just another dream, it was all a dream, he kept telling himself. Be strong Be strong he repeated to himself again and again. He had watched Jake and Alex go against things that he thought no one could survive and they had come out with flying colors. Why couldn't he just open his eyes? He was scared. Too scared that what he was told by his former boss had been confirmed by what he has seen with the two ghosts.  
  
Finally gathering enough strength to open his eyes, Frank saw his most frightening scene yet. A figure loomed over him, a black hood over his head, or what should have been his head. Where the face would have been was a black void. A long black robe flowed over his body and no hands or feet stuck out from underneath the cloak.   
  
Donovan had seen many bloodcurdling things in his time, but nothing could top this. Had he not already been lying down, Frank probably would have fallen over in shock. He had despised the ghosts before, and now he longed for the chubby Ghost of Christmas Past, or the bubbly Ghost of Christmas Present. But the Ghost of Christmas Future was a different story. A different story in every which way.  
  
The apparition did not utter a single word. The petrifying creature extended a handless arm towards Donovan and the world around him swirled black and gray.  
  
"What's going on?" Donovan tried to ask but would not receive an answer from this ghost.   
  
Suddenly, Donovan and his new companion, whom he assumed to be the Ghost of Christmas Future, found themselves in the middle of a graveyard. The dark and dreary night was lit by only the moonlight. Fog covered most of the ground and Frank found it hard to see farther than two feet in front of him. One thing that he could still see though was the ominous figure of the spirit that had brought him there.   
  
"Where are we?" Donovan asked, though more to himself than to the ghost. Frank knew there was no use in trying to get a response from this evil looking ghost.  
  
The portentous figure walked, or floated, Frank couldn't really tell which, across the cold, hard ground. Though he didn't want to, Frank followed anyway. He knew that whatever he had been brought to see was where the specter was leading him.   
  
The unlikely pair walked for what seemed to Frank as hours. Though probably only because he was so frightened of the character he was trailing behind. In reality what had been ten minutes, the two reached a single grave, set apart from the others.   
  
Despite the fog, Frank had noticed how green the grass he walked over was. All the graves had bright flowers placed delicately on them. Yet this grave he was brought too was different. It had a lonely air around it and the ground was not healthy green grass as the others had. The ground was just dirt, as if grass had refused to grow. Or as if no one had cared enough to plant it so it could grow. No flowers were placed with care on this grave either.   
  
The writing was small and grime covered most of it. The ghoul stood beside the grave and extended an arm, telling Frank to read it. Donovan bent down and squinted his eyes to read it. When the federal agent finally realized what it said he almost fell over with shock. It read.....  
  
Frank Donovan  
  
No dates. No May He Rest In Peace. No nice saying at all. Just his name. Frank was overcome with shock. Why would his grave be set aside from the rest of the worlds? How did he die? When? Why does no one visit his grave?   
  
Then he realized, he had never visited Hobbs grave.  
  
"Your me, Frank," His former bosses words kept repeating in his head, causing Frank to freak out more than he was already doing.  
  
"I'm not going to end up like you!" Frank yelled, skyward. Then he turned towards the apparition. "How can I change this? You have to tell me! Why won't you tell me?"  
  
Frank would receive no response. The Ghost of Christmas Future was gone. 


	5. A Happier Life

"Hey boss. Boss? Hey Wake up!" Jake shouted after trying to gently arouse his boss. Donovan had been sleeping on his desk when he found him and would not wake up.  
  
Frank groggily opened his eyes hoping not to be greeted by another ghost. Wow this one looks just like Jake, Frank thought as he sat up rubbing his sore back. Anyone is better than that last ghost.  
  
"So which one are you?" Frank asked annoyed at another ghost. This one he wasn't as afraid of as he had been on the last one. Maybe considering this one actually had a face.  
  
"It's Jake, boss you ok?" Agent Shaw asked, extremely confused. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Wait. I'm not in my room. What's going on? Is Christmas over?" Donovan asked, thankful that Jake had made it back and was actually smiling. What the Ghost of Christmas Present had led him to believe about Jake had him really worried.   
  
"Monica, Alex, Cody! I think you guys better get in here," Jake added then glanced back at Donovan "Quick!"   
  
"Yeah Jake I'm fine," Donovan replied. Silently thanking anyone that it had all been just a dream. "So Christmas isn't over?"  
  
"Don't worry boss. You didn't miss Santa's visit. It's Christmas Eve. It's not over yet. I just came up to tell you that we are all done with the paper work that you had us finish"  
  
"You don't know how happy that makes me Jake," Donovan replied, with a giant grin.  
  
At that moment Cody, Monica and Alex rushed into Donovan's office with alarmed looks in their faces.  
  
"What's wrong?" Alex asked.  
  
"Nothing. We're fine. Right Jake?" Donovan asked, making sure not to frighten the others more.  
  
"Yup," Jake said, sliding his hands into his pockets.  
  
"You sure?" Monica asked, raising an eyebrow. It was obvious that she had doubts.  
  
"Of course. Well you are all free to leave I'm sure you all want to get home for Christmas with your families."  
  
"Oh yes. I can't wait for another dinner with my old Grandfather telling me if I don't behave that Santa Clause won't come to the house," Cody said with mock enthusiasm.  
  
They all laughed and exchanged Merry Christmas's to each other and Alex left first, followed closely by Monica and Cody who were whispering something to each other about the Grinch and getting shot. Frank quickly grabbed his jacket and quickly ran down the stairs hoping to catch Jake before he left. Luckily Jake had gone to get his jacket too was just walking across the main room.  
  
"Hey Jake, what are you doing for Christmas?" Donovan asked.  
  
"Nothing. Father Michael and some of the kids down at Holy Cross to the sister parish in Boston so I'm staying at a nearby hotel," Jake explained looking down, he didn't want Donovan's pity.  
  
"Well I'm not doing anything either. You want to go grab a bite to eat maybe?" Donovan asked hopefully. He somehow knew that he had those dreams for a reason and that he was going to change his future just like the ghost of Christmas Present had told him he could.  
  
"Yeah that'd be great," Jake admitted and the two walked out the door towards happier lives and a newfound friendship. 


End file.
